


He Never Slept.. He Dreamed

by Sterekmarrish



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Laura Hale, Artist Jordan, F/M, M/M, Mermaid Lydia, Poet Jordan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-26
Updated: 2015-10-07
Packaged: 2018-02-18 19:42:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2359940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sterekmarrish/pseuds/Sterekmarrish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When he was little, he wouldn't sleep. </p><p>No, he didn't sleep. He dreamed. </p><p>He always dreamt of the ocean. </p><p>The sweet smell of salt water in the moist air. </p><p>The breeze on his skin, the breeze in his hair. </p><p>No, he didn't sleep at all. </p><p>He dreamed. He fantasized.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was rushing this towards the end to submit for MarrishWeek and I completely forgot to add my babies ISAAC, Erica and Boyd. And then I forgot about Laura and Cora at the end. I'm the worst. I hope it didn't turn out super shit. I rushed the ending. Sorry 
> 
> Also I posted this with my phone so my italics are gone !
> 
> Follow me on tumblr ! 
> 
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/stereksmarrish

When he was little, he wouldn't sleep. 

No, he didn't sleep. He dreamed. 

He always dreamt of the ocean. 

The sweet smell of salt water in the moist air. 

The breeze on his skin, the breeze in his hair. 

No, he didn't sleep at all. 

He dreamed. He fantasized. 

Long red hair, scales, and a tail. 

Magnificent swimmer. 

Not magnificent: beautiful.

Beautiful swimmer. 

Not Ariel. Of course not. 

Ariel didn't come close to his dream girl. Nowhere near it. 

Her name was unknown but the beautiful dreams he had about her made her unknown name that much more special. 

He couldn't wait to settle near the ocean. 

Waiting for the love that didn't exist. 

He couldn't wait. 

 

"Jordan, why don't you read to the class what your poem says?" Eight year old Parrish nodded and walked to the front of the class. He expected everyone to love his girl as much as he loves her because of the way he wrote about her. He wrote her beauty in words. 

"My Ocean Maiden by Jordan Parrish. The fish is what she swims with. No wonder she's a natural. She's naturally beautiful and not just by her long red locks. No. She's too much in tune with nature to just be judged by her looks. She has no care for what the others want like pearls and crafted sea shells. No, of course not. She wants what most people have but never craves. Freedom. You can't base her on someone else. No. She's way too unique and special. She's my beautiful maiden and I'm the one to claim her." Jordan would admit it in a heartbeat that he got choked up reciting his poem for his true. Unshed tears pooled at the bottom of his eyes as he looked back at the class. 

The class that mocked him and laughed but didn't break his spirits. 

"That doesn't even rhyme." A kid in class named Derek said with a mocking smile. Jordan smiled back and responded. 

"Love doesn't have to rhyme to make it beautiful." 

He still doesn't sleep. Because he dreams. 

"So what are your dreams Jordan?" His ninth grade teacher asked him. Jordan looked up from his drawing of her and couldn't help but smile. Derek looked at him from across the room and smiled with him. He knew what Jordan's dreams were. He knew what Jordan would say. 

"My dream is to live by the ocean and wait for the love that will never come." 

"No honey, that's not right. I mean what do you wish to be in order to recieve income?" Jordan's smile fell. Why does his dreams have to involve money? Why is it counted as something wrong?

"Then you should've asked me what my choice of work is. My dreams and money don't have anything to do with each other." 

But yet, he still doesn't sleep. He dreams and dreams of the same ocean. Of the same girl. 

"Okay so this girl you keep dreaming of lives in the ocean, right?" Derek asked playing with his basketball as Parrish continued drawing. 

"Correct." 

"You said she has red hair and is beautiful. Sounds like Ariel from The Little Mermaid." Parrish shook his head. They keep comparing his ocean beauty to her. Ariel didn't make Jordan's insides sparkle in delight. 

"Nope. She's nothing like her. My ocean beauty has strawberry blonde hair, I just say red since it's shorter, she doesn't sing, and she has much more fire inside her than Ariel. But it doesn't matter because," he finished the last eyelash on her eye before letting out a deep sigh. "Because she's not real. None of them are." 

"Cheer up Jor, I'm sure there's a lady out there for you. Someone real." Parrish looked at the hand Derek put on his shoulder in comfort before looking up at him. 

"Like Paige?" The blush on Derek's face made Parrish laugh. 

But yet at night, he doesn't sleep. He still cannot just sleep. He dreams. 

Paige's funeral was devastating. Paige and Jordan were close friends ever since her and Derek started dating. Paige was funny, smart, and had that challenge in her eyes whenever she looked at Derek. They were the cutest couple in the school. Derek was the worst at the funeral. He stayed behind for two hours just looking at her tombstone with tears running down his face. Jordan stayed with him the whole time but didn't say anything. 

What could he say? 

Everything will get better? Because his first love was dead. Nobody wants to hear that. 

She's in a better place? She had such a bright future ahead of her. So many things she hasn't seen. All ripped away from her. 

He never asked what happened with Paige. Derek was the one who carried her until Sheriff Stillinski saw him. Parrish doesn't know all the details. He just has to wait until Derek opens up. 

 

"When you have these dreams of that girl, what do you-" Parrish looked up at his sixteen year old friend with caution. Usually when he chokes up like this, it's a breakdown of what Kate did to him and his family. Both of his parents died in the fire, his uncle is in a coma, and his sisters are in therapy. 

"Do you-do you sometimes think she could be a rotten bitch?" That made Jordan's pencil stop drawing one of her scales. 

"What?" 

"You keep telling me that she's this perfect girl, she could do no wrong, and she's beautiful. That sounds too good to be true. She might be a vicious killer and try to manipulate her way into your mind." Oh. Now he gets it. Derek needs to vent his anger. And Parrish would gladly provoke him until he feels a little bit better. 

"Well, she's not perfect. She can do wrong but she can't help it because that's just the way of life." Of course Derek didn't like that answer. He needs to vent. He needs a reason to believe so much wrong has happened to him for a reason. 

"She could be a whore for all we know, Jordan. A cold, heartless bitch." 

"I don't have your taste, Derek. She would never be like Kate." It pains Parrish to say this to his friend but Derek needs this. He needs pain in order to heal. 

He heard a growl and suddenly blue glowing eyes along with fangs were infront of Parrish's face. Parrish looked at it with horror. This couldn't be his best friend since they were eight. It couldn't be. 

"Derek?" That seemed to snap Derek out of his trance. His blue eyes faded and his fangs retreated leaving normal human teeth. 

Parrish knew he wasn't asleep. He only dreamed of the ocean. His girl in the ocean. 

So what is this? 

It couldn't be reality. 

 

"Congratulations seniors of Beacon Hills!" Parrish and the rest of his classmates threw their graduation caps into the air yelling in celebration. High school is done with and Parrish is on his way to the army. He's not sure where Derek is headed. Their relationship hasn't really went anywhere these past two years. Ever since the big reveal that Derek is a werewolf. 

That's not the reason why Parrish hasn't had a good talk with Derek because Derek gave him hope. If werewolves were real maybe his dream girl was also a reality. 

Derek just thought of his self as a monster. Parrish has tried many times to talk to him about what happened. He doesn't think any less of Derek. Matter of fact, he thinks about all those times he beat Derek in a race. Derek was going easy on him in mostly everything. 

But at this moment, with their arms around each other as they posed for pictures, nothing could get better. Derek's sisters were there and they were happy, and werewolves also. Derek looked happy and Parrish was happy just by that. Jordan's parents, Derek's sisters, and them were on their way to celebrate. The shine in Derek's eyes was back and Jordan didn't want to ruin it. 

"So buddy," Parrish smiled patting Derek's back. "What are you doing after this marvelous day?" Cora and Laura were arguing about who gets the last biscuit while Diane and Henry, Jordan's parents, were arguing about who pays the bill. 

"Well, I'll probably go to college and get a business degree. What about you Jor?" Parrish's heart swelled. He hasn't heard that nickname in a long, long time. 

"I'm going in the army bud." 

That was the last time he saw Derek in a long time. 

He saw the light in Derek's eyes dim that day. In that moment. 

And Parrish still blames himself for it. 

But he still doesn't sleep. He still dreams. 

Still has hope. 

Parrish is 23 when he returns. He expected to go crazy from all that he's seen. His therapists says he has a strong mind and heart. She says that in amazement that Jordan still has the heart to smile. To hope. She always told him that he has some special light in him. 

He's going to miss her but he's back in California. He hasn't heard from Derek in almost five years. He doesn't even know if Derek is alive but he hopes so. He prays for it. 

Jordan is driving to his new apartment near the Beacon Hills Sheriff Department, where he works, when he almost runs someone over. The person is covered in blood and severely injured. Parrish springs into action withdrawing his gun and using his training as he gets out. 

When he sees who he almost ran over, he nearly pukes. 

"Derek?" Jordan puts his gun up and helps Derek in the car. 

"Bro, are you okay? Are you-are you healing?" Derek is barely conscious as Parrish speeds off. He's going a little over the speed limit, not the best impression for his job, but he arrives at his apartment in five minutes. Which was normally a ten minute drive from where he was but that didn't concern him. 

Parrish still knows some tricks with helping out werewolves. He learned just in case Derek got severely hurt, like now. 

Derek woke up in the morning to Parrish eating cereal in his face. He was confused and numb. 

"J-Jordan?" Derek slurred just a little bit. Jordan used a high dosage so he doesn't feel like complete shit when he woke up. 

"Hey bud. Long time, no see ey?" Parrish thought of it as a miracle, actually. He thought it would take longer to find his best friend and now here he is. 

Derek will always be apart of Parrish. 

Along with his never forgotten love. She still invades his mind every night putting the nightmares of war at rest. She's his escape. If only Derek could not just sleep. 

But dream. 

 

"Derek, I swear I will castrate your wolfy ass and- holy fuck, you're not Derek." The fact that it's ten at night didn't bother Jordan. It was the fact that he had his first day at work the next day was what made Jordan mad. 

"Who are you exactly?" 

"Stiles." Stiles. Parrish heard some outrageous names before but Stiles was just... unusual. 

"I'm Scott and we're leaving." The guy known as Scott put his hand around the other one's bicep trying to pull him away. 

"No, dude, you said he was here. I'm not leaving until I know he's alright. Now, is there a Derek Hale here?" Why would two teenage boys be looking for Derek? Maybe they knew he was hurt from yesterday.

"Uh, yeah. He's taking a shower. You guys can uh, sit until he gets out." They nodded a thank you before sitting on the couches. It was weird having two strangers in his new apartment. 

"So uh, how do you know Derek?" The bolder one of the two asked with narrowed eyes. Parrish looked up from his unfinished drawing of the girl in the ocean at the sound of his voice. 

"He's my best friend. Known him since we were eight." Jordan smiled remembering some of the good times they had together. Stiles' judgmental frontier seemed to disappear at the answer. 

"Me and Scotty here known each other since we were four." He threw his arm around the other one. Smiles on both of their faces. You could see they really cared about each other by how they looked at each other. It was nice. 

"Hey Jor, that soap you have in your bathroom smells nice. Is it vanilla with cinnamon?" Stiles eyebrows went up in amusement. 

"Wow Derek. Vanilla and cinnamon turns you on hm?" Jordan could see Derek's face turn red. But the light in his eyes were back. Jordan tied it together quickly. All these years of knowing him, he can read Derek clearly. 

Maybe Derek doesn't sleep at night. Maybe he does dream. Like how Parrish dreams. 

Except, maybe Derek's could be a reality. 

Jordan is 24 when he finally buys it. When he finally can get his dream house near the ocean. 

"Derek, it's done." Derek looks up from his book at Parrish with a smile on his face. 

"I'm glad Jor." 

"Me too, Deputy!" Stiles was laid on the couch with his feet on Derek's lap. Parrish could see from where he was sitting that Stiles took a picture of Derek for Instagram. He shook his head reading the caption. #MCM. 

They're so oblivious. 

"You don't even know what I did." Stiles looked up from his phone and turned towards him. 

"Then tell me, pretty eyes." He did this all the time. Stiles would flirt with Jordan and Derek would get mad but yet, they don't know about each other's feelings. 

"I bought my dream house near the ocean. I've been saving up since I was 16." Stiles nodded with a genuine smile on his face. 

"Sounds nice. Happy for you, sexy." Parrish couldn't help but laugh at Derek's obviously jealous face. 

Maybe one day Derek would turn his dream into a reality. Maybe one day he'll get past Paige, Kate, and Jennifer.

Hopefully. 

"Hey, sheriff?" Parrish called knocking on the open door to his office. 

"Yeah?" Stiles and Scott were in his office probably talking about another supernatural disturbance. 

"Who's Lydia Martin?" 

It was like the tension in the room physically thickened. There was sadness in everyone's eyes. 

"Uh, she was a young lady that-"

"Come on Dad, stop talking about her like we weren't close to her. She was our close friend. Matter fact, I used to have a huge crush on her." Stiles slumped in a seat with a sad smile. Scott was looking down avoiding his gaze. 

"She helped with a lot of unsolved crimes here in Beacon Hills. She went missing about three years ago and just last year we dismissed the case as her," Scott licked his lips holding back. "As her gone." Parrish nodded not wanting to upset them anymore. He left and went back to his desk. He's been looking at her case for the past three months. It caught his eyes because of where she went last. 

The ocean. 

It's moving day.  
He's going to miss being at his old apartment since that's where they hung out if everybody wasn't at Derek's loft. 

But nothing would change his mind. This is where he belonged. He could feel it. 

Derek brought in his last box. 

"That's it Jor." Parrish looked around his cramped living room. Once everything is unpacked and put in place, it'll be spacious and just what he wanted. 

"Thanks bud. Well, you should be on your way. Don't want to keep Stiles waiting, do you?" Jordan teased while secretly wanting Derek to leave. He couldn't wait to get on the hot sand. Couldn't wait to smell the salt in the air. He couldn't wait to swim. 

To swim with her. 

The sand felt like heaven against his toes. The breeze cooled his hot skin the closer he got. He slowly went to the shore feeling the cool water on his feet. He let out a moan in satisfaction. He stepped deeper and deeper into the water until it was around his chest. 

Here we go. He thought in full happiness. And went underwater. 

He was swimming for hours. Couldn't really keep track but it was getting dark and he was tired. 

He flopped down near the shore in exhausted happiness. He couldn't wipe the smile off of his face if he tried. 

He never felt so happy. 

So free. 

If only his dream girl existed. 

If only he could just sleep. 

And not dream. 

"Mermaids?" Stiles repeated looking at Parrish with a questionable look. "You want to know if mermaids exist?" Chris Argent looked at him with a weird expression also. It's been six months since he's moved in his beach house. 

"People living in the ocean not technically...that." Parrish corrected. She was too special to be classified as that. Too pure in her own way. 

"Can't say I've heard of them Jordan." Parrish's hope wavered but never blew out. Not completely. 

"Dude," Stiles sighed. He saw how much this meant to him without Jordan saying anything. "I don't think they're real. Sorry." Jordan's heart broke. They've hunted the unimaginable. Kanimas, Onis, Nogitsunes. The bestiary didn't even have anything close to her. 

"Oh. I was just wondering. Thanks guys." And he left without another look. Without another word. 

He didn't dream that night. 

He just slept. 

Eight months. He's been here eight months and hasn't dreamed since two months ago. He brings home a girl that day. 

He's unbelievably drunk and disappointed. But why? He knew she wasn't real when he was a kid. But why is he so hurt? 

She slides her fake nails down his chest as she throws her head back. 

He doesn't feel anything. 

He hardly feels pleasure with this random woman. But she fills the loneliness in his heart. Only a small portion though. 

The next morning, he regrets it. He feels as though he's cheated on the woman he loves. And in a way, he did. 

One year. It's been a full year since he's moved in. He still feels the freedom of swimming in the ocean. Still loves the water. But there's something missing. He just doesn't know what. 

Derek, Stiles, Scott, Allison, Isaac, Cora, and Laura are over as usual. They're all in his living room on his couch while Parrish is sitting at his chair near his study. 

"I can't take it anymore!" Stiles suddenly yells out. "I've been hooking up with Derek for the past two months." 

"Yeah, that's one way to tell them." Derek rolls his eyes from besides Stiles. They were sitting close together like they usually do. 

"Dude, we already knew." Scott said with a horrified face. Cora was laughing while Laura took that chance to take the rest of her skittles. 

"And we didn't care enough to say it." Isaac sassed beside Scott but still, he had a smile on his face.

"We already knew bud." Parrish added from the chair. That made Derek roll his eyes again. 

"And they already knew. Jesus Stiles." Parrish was just happy that his friend made the right decision. Stiles wouldn't treat Derek like Kate or Jennifer did. Derek wouldn't make the same mistake like he did with Paige to Stiles. Derek was happy. Happier than he's ever seen. 

"What movie are we watching?" Laura asked eating Cora's last skittle. Cora still hasn't noticed since she was too busy messing with Isaac's scarf. 

"The Little Mermaid." And that's what made Parrish's world shatter. 

He hasn't been dreaming for a while. 

All he did was sleep. 

How could he forget her? 

It made him sick knowing he forgot her. 

"I think I'm going to," he stood up so suddenly he knocked the papers off the desk to the floor. He looked down and saw it. Saw her. 

His drawing of her. Still unfinished. He picked it up with shaking hands and went to his room without further explanation. 

He sat on his bed looking at the drawing. That's what was missing. That's why swimming wasn't what it used to be. That's why he doesn't look forward to sleeping. 

Because he's just sleeping. 

He's not dreaming. 

He got his art pencil from his bag and book to set the drawing on. 

And he tried to finish his drawing of her. 

Except he couldn't. 

He couldn't remember anymore detail about her. 

Because all he does is sleep. 

After a month since that night, he began to dream again. His dreams are more vivid than before. More colorful and clear. 

She was more beautiful than he remembered. But he won't forget again. 

He used his day off to draw. To finish his drawing of her. 

He made sure to draw everything about her perfectly. He finished the last scale on her tail and smiled. She was beautiful. 

And he was finished. 

She was complete and infront of him. 

And Parrish couldn't be anymore proud. 

Two months after the finished drawing, Parrish went to the ocean again. The weather was nice once again and he couldn't wait to feel the reconnection of the water to him. 

He had the urge to go farther this day. For some reason, he needed to go out farther than he has before. 

He went out farther into the blue ribbons of waves and opened his eyes underwater. It was stunning. Fish were around all different colors and sizes. It was breathtaking. Parrish made a vow to get a fish tank one day. He's been swimming around for an hour when he decides he should go back home and watch Full House with a nice TV dinner. He starts swimming towards the surface when something swims across his feet. He looks down at the darkening water and sees a long, majestic tail. 

Just like in his dreams. 

So he does what anybody does when they see their dream..

He chases it. 

His hand reached out and touched the tail making the animal turn around. And if Parrish wasn't underwater, his mouth would drop open. 

There she was. 

His dream girl was right infront of his eyes. 

He knows he's not dreaming because the pressure on his lungs for air was getting stronger but he's waited too long to see her. 

He reaches out in awe making her swim off with great speed. 

Beautiful swimmer. 

Like in his dreams. 

Parrish was there again the next day. He swam even farther hoping to get a glimpse of her. Hoping to see her again. 

He had to. This was his dream girl. The one he's dreamed of for his whole life. The one he drew. The one he wrote poems about. This was her. 

Three hours of swimming and Parrish was losing hope. Maybe he imagined her from all the sea water in his eyes. He started swimming to the shore in disappointment when he felt that familiar tickle on his legs. He looked down and saw that same tail. 

He saw his dream and he chased it. 

He had a sturdy grip on her tail making a squeak come out of her. She turned around. Eyes wide in fear, mouth parted just slightly. He made no move to touch her like last time. He just stared at her. His heart was thumping incredibly loud and if felt like it could burst from happiness. 

She's real. 

She swam closer to him with no more fear on her face. Just curiosity. Her hand hesitantly touched the side of his face but with great distance. 

The pain in his lungs became unbearable as she kept touching his face. His mouth opened involuntarily and black dots were in his vision. She looked scared but not the same fear as before. She reached out and took him in her arms then began to swim to the surface. He breathed in the air in a great amount at a time. 

Next, he was on the shore gasping for air and coughing out water. When he calmed down a bit, he looked back. She was there but not at the shore. 

"Please, I need to know you." He begged out to her with a scratchy voice. He started to go back in the water but she shook his head and swam away. 

But he saw her smile at him. 

She saved his life. 

His dreams ended up saving him. 

A month. A magnificent month later. Everyday he would swim with her until it got dark. He's gotten tanner and in an unusually good mood everyday at work. He doesn't invite them over anymore so that he can swim with her. Even Sheriff Stilinski looks at him weird from time to time at his smiles every second of the day. 

He parked his car in the driveway. He had to work late that day but he was just waiting to swim. He got out of the car and immediately felt a lurch in his stomach. 

He had to see her. 

He ran to the beach behind his house and saw a body on the shore. But not just any body. 

Her body with blood pooled around her tail. 

He sprinted faster seeing her unmistakable hair and tail. He picked her up in his arms and made his way back to his house. He was crying, he knew it. They fell on her bare chest as his shaky legs hurriedly took him to his house. He kicked the back door, that he should start locking, and went to his bathroom in his room. 

People that lived in the ocean needed water, she needed water. 

He closed the drain to his tub and started filling it up with cool water. He set her down in it watching her large tail hang off the side. He went into the cabinet to help the large bite marks on her lower body. Shark attack. 

She woke up about around midnight. Eyes fluttering awake to different surroundings. She hasn't seen these things in a long, long time. 

So she screamed. 

Her scream jerked Parrish from his uncomfortable position on the toilet where he was sleeping. He fell on the floor looking up at her with wide, tired eyes. 

"Are you okay?!" She calmed a little seeing him. She's safe with him, right? 

She nodded and looked at her body seeing the bandages on her lower body and a shirt over her bare chest. 

"I uh- I figured you didn't want to be in an unknown house shirtless so I put one of my shirts on you. Is that alright?" She touched it with confusion. Why did she have to wear this... cloth over her body?

He was completely in shock at the whole situation. The girl he spent years dreaming about is in his bathtub. She's real and with him. She's even more beautiful in person than in any dream, drawing, or even picture. 

"So uh, what is your name?" She was scared to speak. She hasn't spoken to anyone in years. Only to the fish that she could barely remember their name. 

"L-Lydia..?" She said mainly as a question. Was that her name? Or did she just make that up?

"Well uh," Parrish took a second to clear his throat. He couldn't stop staring at her as if she's going to disappear any second. "I think that's a beautiful name. It certainly matches." He realized he was still on the floor and quickly got up. 

"I uhm- I can't let you stay in my bathtub now can I? I don't think chlorine would be a good idea to put you in so I'll drain it out and fill it up with salt water. Is that okay?" When he looked back at her, she was playing with his vanilla cinnamon soap. Putting it in her hands and smelling it with a pleasant sigh. 

She's not a dream anymore. No. She's a reality. 

She's his reality. 

And he doesn't only sleep tonight. 

2 weeks since he's saved her and he's been enjoying his self with her company. She spends her time in the pool filled with saltwater and playing with all the clothes he's bought her. He brought a tv out there so they could watch it together. Sometimes, he sleeps out there with her. 

She always hated when he went to work. He would leave her alone and sometimes she worries he won't come back. She would watch The Little Mermaid over and over singing the songs until she bores herself and then she plays dress up with the pretty shirts, dresses, skirts, and accesories he's got her. If only she had something to see how she looked. 

"I'm back." A huge smile went on her face as she started swimming around excitedly waiting for him to come outside. He saw her swimming in excitement and couldn't help the huge amount of joy he got. 

"I got you a surprise." He smiled as she came from underwater to the edge. He pulled out something strange from behind his back. The smile fell off her face looking at it. 

"Jordan, what is this?" He laughed sitting down near her and holding his hand out. She looked at it suspiciously but put her hand in his either way. She trusts him. 

"It's a comb. I thought you would want to do some stuff with your hair whenever you feel like it. You might have a tough time since you probably haven't combed your hair in a while." He pulled her closer to him hooking her arm around him. He took some of her hair in his hand and carefully combed it. She looked at him in amazement. He was focused on the hair between them while she focused on him. He had a pleased smile on his face from how neat it looked when he was done. 

"See?" He said looking back in her green eyes. She didn't look. She continued looking in his eyes. Not knowing exactly what color they were. They were beautiful. A beautiful sea color. 

"Jordan Parrish, you have some explaining to do!" Jordan's face drained color at the sound of Stiles' loud voice. He quickly got up from where he was sitting trying to think of what to do. 

"Uh, those are some friends of mine. I'll be back." And there he goes. Hopefully he'll return. Hopefully. 

Parrish ran inside closing the blinds to the back deck before facing Stiles and Derek. 

"Hey Jor, how have you been?" Derek asked. They were holding hands, typical, but it was strained like that just had an argument. That was also typical. 

"Good. Wonderful. I've been fantastic." Jordan babbled out with a dopey smile on his face. Derek's eyebrows raised along with Stiles'. They hang out too much, it seems. 

"You sound like you met your dream girl." Derek laughed slightly. Parrish tried to laugh with him but it came out shaky and unbelievable. 

"Hey Jordan! It's been a while so surprise! Surprise pack night." Scott said entering Jordan's house with bags. Cora, Laura, and Isaac following behind with snacks also. 

"Guys, I know it's been some time but can we do this some other night?" He atleast needed a way to try to hide Lydia from everyone. It was too soon to tell them, at least that was the excuse Parrish made. He wanted her to himself. She's his dream come true. 

"Lydia?!" Everyone in the room froze at the name. Parrish raced to the back seeing Stiles and Lydia staring at each other. So much for excuses. 

"Uh, Parrish? Mind telling us why the hell Lydia is in your pool and why she has a tail?" Stiles yelled flailing around. Scott was next to go near the pool and look in disbelief at the girl in his pool. 

"Wait, how do you know her name is Lydia?" Parrish asked not fully understanding why everyone had those expressions on their faces. Lydia was his dream girl. Not anyone else's. 

"That's Lydia fucking Martin. The close friend we had that disappeared and we all thought was dead come to find out she's having a rather good time with you." Parrish couldn't make since of what was happening. The love he's been dreaming about for years is Lydia Martin, the girl who was deemed dead years ago? 

"I-I didn't know! There was no picture in the files of her. But this is the girl! She's real Derek!" Parrish said excitedly looking at his best friend. His best friend would understand him. His best friend would see the entirely new shine in his eyes. He would see the desperation and disappointment was gone from him. That a new hope was there for him. A hope of happiness with her. 

"I see that Jor and I'm so happy for you." Derek's smile was genuine and understanding as he hugged the guy that was there for him since they were kids. The guy that would come over with that same damn notebook of his unfinished drawing. The same dopey smile that vanished from his face was back and brighter than normal. 

"Jordan?" He heard that soft, melodic voice behind him and was crouching by her quickly. "Are we going to finish The Little Mermaid?" He looked down at her with a softness that Stiles never seen in Parrish's eyes before. A smile so smitten, it shocked him. 

"Of course." Her smile widened looking at him but faded when she caught Stiles' gaze. Her head tilted slightly in confusion. She's seen those eyes before. The way he looked at her was so... familiar. 

"We should probably talk to Deaton, Stiles." Scott said quietly. Allison was stunned silent next to him as she stared at her friend. Her best friend. Allison was always the worst of them when it came to Lydia. She made a vow to protect Lydia with her bow and arrow and she failed. She's never used it again since the tragic day they gave up. Allison took shaky steps towards the pool looking at her with a parted mouth. Her best friend was alive. 

"Lydia," she called out. Lydia looked up at the dark haired girl but not with recognition. It was like she never forgot. 

"Allison." She said right back. 

Jordan felt horrible. He's been keeping his dream to himself when everyone else also dreamed of her being alive. 

She's not just his dream. 

And that made him stay up that night. 

Not dreaming. Not sleeping. 

Slowly a month passed. They would come over when Parrish was at work and stay until Lydia felt exhausted. Dr. Deaton said her memory would slowly come back with whatever he did, it still confuses Parrish, and it did steadily. Her parents came over for a full week, and Parrish didn't mind at all, but he would like some alone time with the girl of his dreams.

Derek understood that and tried to get everyone to leave sooner but everyone was so caught up that Lydia was alive and Jordan couldn't ruin that. 

So he watched her interact with everyone. She's a natural, of course. 

Everyone told him that Lydia Martin was a genius and he didn't want that to be wasted. She could own her own business and he wanted that for her. Maybe when he gets alone time with her, he can talk to her. 

One day, Jordan comes home exhausted. There was a bank robbery and Jordan was the one to stop it. He got grazed in the arm and was forcefully put on a week rest by Sheriff himself. It was around two am on a Saturday when he got home. Everyone was there, as usual, keeping his dream away from him. 

He doesn't mean to sound bitter but he can't help it. He slowly, and painfully, changed into a plain grey shirt and pajama pants then headed outside with a bottle of prescription pain killers. 

"I'm so proud of you Jordan!" Lydia yelled as soon as she saw him come through the back door. He jumped a little but calmed down at the huge smile on her face. He's smitten and he doesn't even mind. 

"Thanks Lydia." She swam to the edge of the pool and stretched to drag the chair to where she was. 

"Sit here." She ordered him and how could he say no? He walked to the lawn chair and sat looking down at her. She always played with her lips, one of the many habits he's noticed. She would always bite at them, roll them in her mouth, or purse them. Either way, he loved it. Especially now when she's looking up at him with so much pride. 

"Wow, so much sexual tension." Bring it to Stiles to ruin the moment between them. Derek rolled his eyes, it a daily thing when it came to Stiles, and he hit Stiles upside his head gently. 

"You just ruined their moment. How are you holding up?" Jordan forced his eyes off of her and looked towards Derek smiling. 

"I'm doing good. Just need to really take these pain killers." 

"Want me to get you some water?" Parrish was grateful he asked because he didn't want to leave away from her. She'll probably forget about him if he left. 

"Thanks man. Hold up, do you need anything?" Jordan looked at Lydia seeing her already smiling at him. It squeezed his heart seeing that. 

"Doritos?" Her eyes grew at the name. He nodded seeing her bite at her lips. 

"Yeah, water and Doritos." He saw Derek nod and walk away from his periphial vision. He still held Lydia's gaze loving the smile on her face. Her hair was dry from being over water a long time. 

"Now you are going to be on rest this whole week. Sheriff's orders. That means no more cooking for me everyday, no more of all the wonderful things you do for me. I'm going to take care of you." She smiled lifting herself higher on the edge to get closer to him. His eyes couldn't stay focused on just one part of her face. He looked at her eyes, her lips, her small dimples. He looked at everything. His main focus was her lips. He wanted to finally feel her against him. Feel her soft lips on his. He craved it. He's craved it for more than twenty years. 

"I look forward to this week." He said lowly still focusing on her lips. She was still holding herself up on the edge and he could see her arm shake slightly. She smiled at him before it completely faded. A sadness he's never seen before clouded in those green pupils and he swear it broke him. 

"How am I suppose to take care of you when I don't even have legs?" She whispered and let her arms give out. 

In that moment, Parrish felt like a million knives stabbing him would hurt less than seeing the sadness in her face. It made sense. 

The way she would look longingly at Allison's legs. At everyone's. 

His poem from when he was eight went flashed in his mind. 

She wants what most people have but never craves. Freedom. 

She wants freedom. The freedom to roam around. The freedom to run. The freedom to jump. To skip. To fall. To dance. 

She wants that. 

And Jordan didn't know how to fix that. 

"I'm sorry Deputy Parrish but I don't know if that is possible." 

"Can you just try, please? There has to be some way, right?" Dr. Deaton looked at Parrish's desperate face for a moment. A moment too long. Then he sighed. 

"I really didn't wish to tell you this because I am afraid you will try it but there is one way that I have heard." Parrish's joy leaped. There's a way. 

"Okay. Is it like some kind of dangerous spell or something?" Deaton shook his head still looking at him with caution. 

"No. It's a form of sacrifice." 

Lydia woke up feeling a little.. Weird. 

Weird is all her jumbled up mind could think of. She felt something soft underneath her but couldn't comprehend what it was. Her brain felt fuzzy. She rolled over with a groan and felt like she was... Falling. 

She was falling. She hit the floor with a hard thump and another groan came out of her mouth. Her mind was clearing up a little as she ran her hands through the soft carpet she was on. 

A carpet? Shouldn't she be in the pool getting ready to find someway to make Parrish breakfast?

She used her arms to push herself up and settled on her knees. She ran her hand through her hair pushing it out of her face. How did she end up here? 

Wait a second. 

Lydia had... Knees. 

Lydia's eyes shot open as she looked at her bare lower half. Her heart started thumping in her chest as she put her shaking hands on her thighs. Lydia had thighs! 

It took Lydia a while to stand up on her feet. She was trying not to completely freak out by the fact she had legs. But she couldn't help but let out a joyful squeal. She had legs. 

She took shaky steps towards the closet in the room and hurriedly grabbed on the door before she fell. She opened up the door and picked out a pair comfortable looking sweats. Lydia fell to the floor trying to put them on but succeeded in the end. 

Using the walls as a way to keep her from falling, she made her way down the stairs. She fell trying to go down the last two. A strangled moan of pain came out of her throat as she layed there. Her hair was everywhere and her side ached a little. 

Two hands were around her waist and helping her up from the floor. She used her hands to push her hair out the way and saw him there. 

"Having a little trouble?" 

A couple of hours later, Jordan fixed them breakfast, despite Lydia complaining but she couldn't stand up for more than a minute so she had no choice. 

He sat the plate of her favorite chocolate chip pancakes and bacon in front of her. She looked at it with a small smile then back at him across the table. He was already eating but he seemed a little... Off. She furrowed her eyebrows but started eating anyway. She noticed how his hands would twitch from time to time, something he's never done before. But she didn't comment on it. She just ate and studied him. There was something different. 

After they ate, he helped her to the couch and she didn't waste any time. 

"Why the fuck do I have legs?" She practically yelled out. He sat next to her taking her hands gently in his hand. 

"I noticed, Lydia," he started still looking at their hands. He rubbed his thumbs over the back of her hands. "I noticed the way you would look at everybody else walking and running. You missed having legs. So I," he licked his lips and paused. Lydia waited for him to finish. He was right. She wanted to walk. She wanted legs. 

"So I talked to Deaton to see if there was any way to get you to have legs and he said there was one way and it was a kind of a sacrifice way. Lydia, I gave up my light so you could have legs." Lydia didn't understand. She didn't like where this was headed either. Sacrifice? 

"What are you talking about Jordan?" He was still looking at their hands and not at her. 

"At first, I would've given up my legs so you could have some but he said I had a light inside of me. He said it was like Stiles' spark except it had a greater power. My therapist always said I had some kind of light inside of me when I came out of war." He laughed slightly but it quickly disappeared. 

"Now um, since it's gone. They said I had PTSD and it would take a while to recover. But you have what you wanted and I'm just so grateful for that." Lydia didn't know what to say. His light. The thing that keeps him sane and whole is gone. He gave it up for her to walk. 

Would a simple thank you suffice? Of course not. She needed to show him how much she appreciates what he's done. How much she appreciates him. 

So she did what she's been dying to do for a while now. 

She kissed him. 

Taking her hands from his, she wrapped them around his neck pulling him in closer when he finally starts responding back. 

It was like he was in shock when she kissed him. It took him a second but he kissed her back. He grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him to where she's pressed up against him and he couldn't help the soft moan that rolls out of him. 

She tightened her grip in his hair at the sound. At the vibration of it. It was all so sensual and soothing. The kiss was simple and sweet until Lydia felt the need to be bolder. She arched her back against him and let out a sigh in contemptment. 

He ran his hands up and down her clothed back when she arched against him. The kiss got wilder, fiercer. He put his hands underneath her shirt and felt the softness of her skin on his hands. 

She felt his hands on her skin and lightly moaned at the feel of it. She loved the feeling of him on her. She absolutely loved it. She couldn't help her wandering hands as they went under his own shirt and felt against his abs and chest. She ran her fingernails down his chest. 

He broke the kiss away to catch his breath and his eyes closed at the feeling of her nails scraping down his body. It was like she needed more and Parrish didn't mind at all. She went to his neck kissing at his pulse and biting softly at the skin there. He knew it was in her nature to take control. 

She heard his deep breaths as she kissed at his neck. She scooted her body even closer to him and pulled away from his neck looking at him. His face was flushed and his eyes were closed. They fluttered open after a second and he smiled at her. 

"Thank you. So so much." But it will never be enough. 

Another month passes by and Lydia Martin has taken control of his heart in no way before. She occupies his mind every second. All he can think about is Lydia. She's on her way to finishing school, thanks to Parrish, and she works hard to catch up to everyone. She's behind a couple of years and that makes Lydia stress out at some time. 

Jordan struggles with his PTSD. Sometimes screaming in the middle of the night because of the nightmares but Lydia would wrap her arms around him. And she presses her head on his beating chest and talk to him until he's calm again. She spoke softly, quietly. Not wanting to startle him even more. 

Sometimes she would silently cry because she feels at fault. He gave up the light that kept him calm so she can have legs. Tears would wetten his shirt but he wouldn't wake. Because he's in the ocean with his dream. 

A dream that's in his arms. He dreams and wakes up still dreaming because she's there. She's real and he couldn't dream of anything better. 

"We'll use flash cards and categorize them sort of like grade levels." Parrish suggested after Lydia nearly has a breakdown at how behind she is from everyone else. She wants to graduate with them and she's trying so hard. 

"The first stack will be the basic points that you need to know by the end of next month which is this grade. By the end of next month, you can ask if you can take the test for this grade level. Okay?" Lydia continued playing with her lips and a determined expression as she listened. She can do this. 

"Yeah. I'll go get some flashcards from upstairs." She said getting up from the chair and running to the stairs. 

"Slow down. You remember what happened last time you tried running upstairs?" He called after her with a fond smile. 

"I know how to use my legs now." She responded speeding up the stairs two at a time. 

"That happened yesterday." He laughed. She was already upstairs when he finished. She just rolled her eyes and went inside his room. Even though she's there every night, she has her own room. She's there with him when he has his night terrors, that's why she never sleeps by herself. 

She walked to his desk seeing it neater than usual. There was only a folder that looked like it's been with him for years. She picked up the folder reading the small label at the bottom. 

Jordan Parrish  
3rd Grade Folder

3rd grade? He's had this folder for a while now. She opened it up seeing a worn out piece of paper. Words were scratched on it in small, skinny letters. 

My Ocean Maiden by Jordan Parrish. The fish is what she swims with. No wonder she's a natural. She's naturally beautiful and not just by her long red locks. No. She's too much in tune with nature to just be judged by her looks. She has no care for what the others want like pearls and crafted sea shells. No, of course not. She wants what most people have but never craves. Freedom. You can't base her on someone else. No. She's way too unique and special. She's my beautiful maiden and I'm the one to claim her.

She smiled after reading the poem. It was cute that he made a poem for The Little Mermaid. She saw a folded paper behind the poem and picked it up. She read the dates on the outside of the paper. 

Began 2003 - Finished 2014. 

What has taken so long to finish? She carefully opened the paper and her mouth dropped in shock. 

It was her when she was a mermaid. The details were extraordinary and so precise. It was truly beautiful. 

She looked at the quote at the bottom and gasped. 

She's my beautiful maiden and I'm the one to claim her. 

That poem was made for her. This drawing was made for her. 

But how? 

"Hey, are you alright up here?" She heard his voice as he stepped in. She turned around, face still in awe. 

"What is this?" She asked holding up the drawing of her. She wanted to know how he knew her when he was in third grade. How he knew her enough to draw her for eleven years. 

"I uhm, I-" 

"And don't lie to me." Even in these situations, her fire still makes his mouth dry in amazement. 

"I would never dream of it." Oh, the irony of his words. He sat down on his bed and gestured for her to sit. She slowly sat down with her eyes on him. 

"When I was little, I would never sleep. I couldn't. I always dreamed. Dreamed of you. You swimming beautifully in the ocean with your large tail. Every single night, you invaded my mind and I dreamed of swimming with you. Just being with you. I guess it was a little obsessive and creepy but I wrote poems about you, I drew that picture of you in ninth grade. I bought this house near the ocean because of how much you made me love the sea. How much I wanted you to be real." As he spoke, her heart grew. She doesn't think anybody had any chance with her since this man in front of her captivated her in every single way. 

"For nearly 25 years, I dreamed of you. You are my first love and I'm still in such awe that I finally have the chance to be with you right now. I love you, Lydia Martin." He looked at her as he announced his love for her. Her lip trembled slightly at his confession. She didn't deserve him. She can't love him nearly as much as he does her and it pains her. 

"I love you too, Jordan Parrish. And for the first time, I really mean it." Jordan has been waiting for a really long time to hear those words so true, so passionate. He couldn't help kissing her. His love for her could be felt through that kiss. She felt every ounce and she's never been so sure about anything in her life. 

Lydia passes test after test and is steadily catching up. Her relationship with Jordan is every thing she could ask for and more. It's their two month anniversary that day. And Lydia couldn't be any happier. 

Parrish wakes up in the morning feeling great. He feels as though nothing could touch him. Nothing could burden him. Lydia was still sleeping in his arms, her bare skin pressed against his. And he felt more relaxed than he's ever been in his life. His mind kept wandering to last night. Their two month anniversary. She surprised him with a massage and lingerie, which he's going to have to replace now. It was their first time together and he couldn't think of a better way to do it. 

Jordan was making soft patterns on her back feeling her soft skin on his fingers. He thought back to his childhood years. How happy he was accepting the fact that she wasn't real. How he always said he would have a house by the beach and wait for the love that will never come. But as he grew older, she became more important to him. He was desperate to know she was real. All his girlfriends couldn't keep him interested because he just couldn't stop dreaming. His first time having sex wasn't as intimate as he would like because he wouldn't stop dreaming. 

And thinking back to all the frustration and desperation he's felt, he's glad he's never completely stopped dreaming. Because she wouldn't be in his arms today if he just slept at night. 

His mind wandered to the day he gets to finally marry this girl. He will use every cent if he has to, to make sure she has an extraordinate wedding. To make sure she feels and looks like the princess she is. 

"What are you thinking about Jordan?" He heard her beautiful morning voice. She stretched slightly turning to face him. 

"Just thinking of you, dream." 

"Did you seriously just nickname me dream?" He smiled and kissed her forehead lightly. He really wants to kiss her again but morning breath isn't attractive. 

After a while, she learns to love the nickname. Only they know about it and it feels private to just them. Even six months later. 

"Okay, I think you're going to be graduating with everyone else." Lydia's counselor said with a proud smile. Everyone else was graduating in four months and she's been trying and studying so hard to catch. Lydia was in a superior mood when she got back to Jordan's house. Which is technically her house too but she never made that official in her mind. 

Lydia walked through the door with a huge smile on her face. She couldn't wait to tell Parrish. To see that pride showing through his eyes, to have him hold her in his arms. But as soon as she stepped inside, her world seemed to crash.

There he was sitting in a pile of glass in the destroyed living room. He looked desperate as he looked around with wild eyes. Lydia threw her purse on the ground and ran to him. 

"Jordan, baby, what is wrong?" She fell to her knees beside him not being bothered by the shards of glass digging in her skin. He yelled looking up at her. 

"Are- are you one-one of them? Are you the one that killed them!" He yelled squeezing his hands in fist. Blood dripped down his fist as he squeezed harder and harder. 

"Jordan, it's me. It's Lydia. Let me help you. Okay? Just let me help you." She saw his body tremble at the sight of her. He unclinched his fists but scooted away from her. Putting distance between them. 

"You're going to kill me. Go ahead and do it! Blow me up like you did to my friends!" He screamed at her. He was screaming so loud and the sound of complete defeat in his voice broke Lydia's heart. She did this to him. His sanity is gone. 

Lydia reached out and placed her hand on his bloody one. She felt him shake. She tried to keep her composure, tried not to break down crying in front of this already broken man. 

"I'm not going to hurt you. I would never dream of it. Dreams Jordan. What do you dream about?" He shook his head letting those tears fall down his face rapidly. 

"I don't- I don't know."

"Yes you do Jordan. What do you dream of every night?" She rubbed his hands with hers feeling him calm down. He looked at her slowly coming back to reality. 

"The ocean. I dream of- I dream of swimming. I dream of- I dream of. I don't know." 

"Come on Jordan. Tell me what you dream of." Parrish's eyes squeezed tightly as he continued shaking his head. His hands were trembling underneath Lydia's. 

"I dream. I dream of the beach. A-A tail. I dream of a girl. A girl that. I dream of a girl that swims. She's- she's beautiful. She-she swims with me everyday. I-I dream of-" 

He looked at his ocean maiden in front of him. Parrish hesitantly took his hands from under Lydia's, grabbing at her shoulders. 

"Lydia?" She never felt so relieved for him to bring her in for a tight hug that consisted of cries, tears, and reassurance. Lydia will never forget that moment. 

Two months later, Lydia is the one in tears and heartbroken. Her heart felt heavy, heavy enough to fall right out. If only it could so Lydia doesn't have to feel the pain she felt through her body. She felt the pain through her body, even her mind. She couldn't take it anymore. Her sobbing cries ringed in her ears as she ran upstairs. She went in the room. In his room. She couldn't stay here. Not tonight. Maybe not ever again. 

Grabbing a duffle bag, his duffle bag he never uses to be exact, and started stuffing her clothes in there. Every article of clothing smelt like him. She felt sick by the smell. Felt sick that she loved the smell. She took her phone out and clicked Allison's name. 

"Hello?" She sounded so happy and carefree. If only Lydia could get that feeling again. Maybe one day, she will. 

"Allison?" Her voice cracked alarming her best friend.

"What's wrong?" Allison's voice changed from it's usual cheerfulness to the concern that Lydia really craved at the moment. 

"I'll tell you later but- I really need you to please get me. I can't drive like this. Not again." She nearly killed herself from the emotional state she was in. Her eyes kept blurring and stinging and she was shaking. Heart broken. She felt heart broken when Allison picked her up. She felt heart broken when she brought her stuff into Allison's house. She just felt over all heart broken. 

"Jordan... Cheated on you?" Even Allison sounded completely shocked. Disbelief was in her voice. Lydia nodded her head. Hearing the words come from someone else made them too real. She was curled up into Allison. Protection. 

"Yeah. I saw it myself. I just," she paused thinking of what actually happened. How could he? Didn't he love her? 

"It's okay Lydia. I'm here for you." Allison kissed Lydia's forehead softly. She never forgot Allison. Never. 

"I didn't cheat on her! Do you honestly think I would cheat on the girl I've been chasing for twenty five years? That's fucking stupid!" Parrish was outraged. Stiles, Derek, and Scott were interrogating him about what happened. He came home excited to see Lydia. To help her with any assignments that were due later. To kiss her. To see her. But he didn't see her. He waited an hour, he waited five. He waited up all night making phone calls that were never answered. Only a simple text from Scott saying she was safe. Parrish still didn't sleep. 

"She's a complete mess! She said she saw you making out with some blonde chick." Stiles yelled at him. He saw the exhaustion in Jordan's eyes though and that made him question what was true. Parrish looked like he hasn't slept since yesterday. Looked broken his self. 

"I don't even know any blondes!" Parrish paused and pulled his hair in frustration. It felt painful but at least he could feel something. 

"I promise you, I would never cheat on her. Listen to my heart beat. I would never and I have never cheated on Lydia Martin. I love her way too much. She's my dream come true and- and y'all wouldn't understand how long I waited, how desperate I was to get her." He found himself crying again. For the fifth time. He wanted, no. He needed to see her. To reassure her. To love her. 

"He's telling the truth. But so is Lydia. I'm so confused." Scott rubbed his head. Scott knew Parrish wouldn't do anything like that. Everybody knew.

"Tricksters!" Derek yelled out of nowhere. Stiles looked at his boyfriend with raised eyebrows. 

"Dude, is right now the time to be random?" 

"No, dumbass. Tricksters. They're a rare kind of shapeshifters that can take the shape of anyone. That seems like a more logical answer than Jor actually cheating on her. I've heard him talk about Lydia for hours on end when we were little. He wouldn't cheat on her." Jordan was surprised that he could muster up a smile from how shitty he felt. He was excited that there was an answer. Then an overwhelming amount of anger came upon him. Someone almost cost him his dream. 

"Wow, dude. I'm not even a werewolf and I can see you're pissed. I understand you're pissed but we need you to cool down." Jordan's eyes closed as he counted his breaths. His therapist showed him some tricks to calm down when he feels out of control. Still infuriated but he was calmer than he was a few seconds ago. 

"Let's go catch us a trickster." 

Parrish was exhausted and felt lonely. He hasn't seen Lydia for a full two weeks. Hasn't heard her voice. He hasn't really dreamed of slept. Just waited for his body to fall out due to physical exhaustion. He's just been going to work and looking with Derek and Stiles for someone with his face. It was frustrating but they finally found him. Finally. 

Jordan didn't even wait for them, he went in the coffee shop and immediately threw him against the wall. 

"Jordan!" He could hear Derek and Stiles but he didn't listen. The anger he was feeling was too strong. 

"You made my girlfriend think I cheated on her. Why are you shifting to look like me?" He asked lowly so the crowd around him doesn't hear. 

"Get Jordan." He heard Stiles say to Derek. Derek ripped Parrish off of the shapeshifter. "Hey folks. This is uh- a g-game. Yes. A game that me, my hot boyfriend, hot boyfriend's friend and his twin do. Nothing to see here. We'll just get going." Stiles improvised giving Derek the cue to drag them out of the store. They all left and got in Stiles' jeep. Some were forced in there. 

"Alright. Listen here, we're going to go to Allison's house to show Lydia that there is two of Jordan and then you're going to explain why you chose him. Deal?" Suprisingly, Other Jordan hasn't said anything the whole time. Just looked bored. 

"Whatever. I'm just here on a job for a witch and he was the first person I saw so I shapeshifted to him. There. An explanation. Can I go?" Stiles' eye visibly twitched as he continued looking at him. 

"That's all? Well there goes the excitement." Derek rolled his eyes but shooked his head at the shapeshifter. 

"Not until Lydia sees you." 

"Lydia. Can you please eat something?" Allison begged Lydia, her voice desperate. Lydia didn't answer. She just continued sipping the drink in her hand, head being held up by her hand with her elbow on the table. She was completely drunk. Wasted. The alcohol left her feelings outside of her body. Out of her heart. The knock on the door didn't even get a reaction from Lydia. It was probably Scott anyway. Allison put the plate of food on the table by her and went to the door to answer it. Lydia heard distinct voices. Stiles, Derek, Scott, and an all too familiar one. That particular voice made Lydia come out of her unresponsive demeanor. She dropped her hand and looked with blurred vision at the door.

Parrish. He was there. Why is he here? He looked over at her and she could still see the sad expression on his face through her drunken eyes. A horrifying hole filled her stomach. She had to get out of there and fast. She hurriedly stood up and started going up to Allison's room. Her steps were uncoordinated and she stumbled many times. 

"Lydia!" Oh no. His voice. She hasn't heard his sweet voice in a long time. She fell to the floor trying to get away and just laid there. What was the point? She was too intoxicated. 

Another all too familiar thing was his touch. She felt him scoop her up. His burning touch. Much like her burning love to him. But he cheated. 

She tried getting away from him even though she was aware she couldn't fight him off. She didn't stop. 

"Lydia, please stop. Let me explain." He kept pleading to her. Begging. Desperate. 

"Y-you don't- you don't de-deserve to. Deserve to." She slurred. How much has she drank? 7? Maybe 8 cups? 

"God, she's a mess." Stiles commented looking at a very drunk, very heartbroken Lydia. Lydia glared at him making him shut his mouth. 

"Lydia, honey." Allison talked to her. How could she even let them in? Let him in? Wasn't she her friend? Her best friend? "Parrish is holding you right now. This is the guy you saw kissing the blonde girl. He's a shapeshifter. Lydia. He didn't cheat. Parrish didn't cheat." Parrish didn't cheat. Parrish cheated. She saw it. Why is Parrish standing infront of her? Isn't he holding her? Maybe she had more to drink than she thought. 

"Parrish, he-he ch- didn't cheat? He didn't cheat?" Lydia couldn't grasp the situation. Her brain too filled with liquor. She felt too overwhelmed. Too hot all of a sudden. It suddenly felt like she was floating. In a dark cloud. That's what her heart felt like in her chest for the past two weeks. Like a dark cloud. 

"So, I saw you kissing this girl, Erica?" Lydia was awake the next day with a huge hangover. She had an ice bag on her head as she tried to find out the truth. The shapeshifter nodded his head looking frustrated. Lydia didn't care. He caused her the worst heartbreak for two weeks. She threw the bag at him hitting his face. 

"Do you-" she started screaming but the thumping in her head protested. She groaned gripping her head. "Just get him out of here. Make sure he transforms from Jordan." She ordered. She was too tired to answer to the anger that was trying to build up. 

Jordan stayed there the whole night watching over her at Allison's house. He was wary of the distance between them and his eye contact. It was awkward and wrecking him from the inside out that she was near him and he couldn't touch her. Hold her. 

"Uh, guys. Can I get a moment alone with Lydia?" He asked them quietly. They nodded and Derek dragged the menace out. Parrish closed the door and picked the ice bag off the floor. 

"Here." He said when he reached the end of the bed. She looked up at him taking the ice bag and placing it on her head. 

"Thanks." They were silent for a minute. Just avoiding each other's gazes awkwardly. Lydia got tired of being away from him. 

"I'm sorry Jordan. I should've believed you wouldn't cheat on me but I- I just saw it and I- it was the worst thing that I could ever experience." She looked so sad like she was remembering the scene over and over. 

"Lydia Martin. I would never cheat on you. Never. I wouldn't dream of it. You know what I dream about at night. What I dreamt about for the last twenty five years. You." He could be a poet. Just for Lydia. Everything he says to her is like an award winning poem. Beautiful. Elegant. Loving. 

"Please hold me Jordan." He immediately went to her side and wrapped his arms around her. Her head fit on his shoulder and he couldn't be more happier. He got her back. She pulled back slightly and kissed him. Finally. He kissed her back putting all the passion he felt in it. It made her toes curl. It made tingles shoot up the both of them. It felt like love. And it was. 

Jordan sat in their bed with Lydia's bare back pressed on his naked chest. His arms was around her rubbing light circles on the soft skin of her stomach. He was up early and was in such a euphoric mood. He couldn't get up. 

Where has the last six months went? 

His brilliant girlfriend graduated from Beacon Hills High School with a 4.0 GPA like he suspected. Their graduation day, Derek made a special arrangement that wowed the whole school. As they were announcing Stiles' name for his diploma and many medals, he didn't see Derek slip at the end of the line. He was surprised seeing his boyfriend on the stage especially when he hates crowds. Derek got down on one knee and proposed. Of course Stiles said yes and he still denies that he cried. The whole stadium cheered for them as they kissed. 

Their wedding was beautiful and simple. Lydia arranged the whole thing and for a nineteen year old with no experience, she did flawlessly. Everything was perfect. 

They delivered their vows and John Stillinksi actually cried. He denies it too.

Jordan's therapy has been working wonders. He hasn't had an outburst in two months. Lydia finally chose a college for her. It was hard narrowing down the top three. She got tons of letters. That's his girlfriend. 

His ocean maiden. 

His dream. 

He leaned over and kissed her cheek softly. He loved her so much. 

Lydia started school two months ago, it's been four. Lydia was frustrated from her papers and assignments. She finally finished them. It was midnight. She went upstairs, exhausted. Jordan was on the phone, a smile on his face. He was laughing. 

"You're too funny. Uh- well thanks." She saw him blush from whatever the person said on the phone. She crossed her arms standing in the doorway. Who was he talking to?

"I'll see you tomorrow? Yeah we can get coffee. Two creams, right?" Lydia just listened. Was he talking to a coworker. Hopefully a guy. 

"Okay. You're so adorable." Well, he's not talking to a guy. 

"Alright. Bye." He hung up the phone and stared at his phone. Smiling. 

Lydia cleared her throat making Jordan jump. 

"Who was that?" She tried to hide the jealousy in her voice. 

"Uh, Emily. From work." Lydia met Emily. She was gorgeous. Long brown hair. Very curvy. 

"You call all your coworkers adorable?" Lydia questioned. She walked in the room and threw her shirt off her body getting one of his. 

"Well, no but it's not what you think." 

"What am I supposed to think Jordan?" Lydia didn't want to start an argument but she just couldn't help it. Emily pissed her off. 

"Come on, Lydia. Don't start this. You remember what happened last time you assumed things." Lydia turned around to look at him. He didn't sound like Jordan. Not the one she knows. 

"I saw it with my own eyes, Jordan." 

"You wouldn't have saw it at all if you stayed a mermaid." That one seemed like it cut straight through Lydia. She didn't even say anything. She just left out of the room to the place where she feels calm. The pool. 

How could he say that? She always felt guilty knowing he gave up something special to him for her to have legs. 

She slid the door open to the pool area and was taken aback. 

Roses. They were everywhere. 

Red, white. Just everywhere. 

They were arranged in some type of pattern. 

No, not patterns. 

Words. 

Lydia walked slowly to the roses reading them. 

Will... 

You...

Marry...

Me...

Dream...

"Oh my god." She gasped. The 

"Will you?" She turned around and saw Jordan on his knee and a beautiful, big ring in his hand. 

"Jordan. Was this your plan? To piss me off and send me back here so you can propose?" He smiled happily as he nodded. Looking at her with her hair in waves, some sweatpants and his shirt on. She looked perfect. Breathtakng. Just beautiful. 

"You're so fucking stupid!" There were tears in her eyes. A smile on her face. Her voice cracked just slightly as she choked up on tears. His smile never left his face because how could it? She was absolutely amazing. Perfect. 

She walked close enough for him to take her hand. Her shaking hand. Shaking on excitement. He kissed her hand slowly and softly. 

"Lydia Martin, will you please do me the honor of loving me, putting up with me, and keeping my dream alive? You're the most beautiful girl in the world. Inside and out. You have to know that nobody comes close to you and if you leave me, I don't have a second choice. Lydia Martin, my beautiful ocean maiden: Will you please marry me?" Lydia's tears didn't get the order not to fall because they were falling out of her eyes rapidly. 

"Y-yes. Jordan Parrish, I will marry you." Jordan let go of her hand to tightly wrap her in his arms. 

"I'm sorry dream. You know I didn't mean it when I said that. I wasn't even on the phone. I'm glad you're not a mermaid because you're happy to be a human. I love you." 

"I love you too. I love you so much." 

Oh how time passes by. Jordan has spent the last five months dedicating his time to make Lydia's wedding day special. To make his wedding day special. To make their wedding day elegant. Lydia helped out with the complicated stuff that made Jordan have a migraine. 

Lydia didn't know the theme of the weddig or what the decorations were. Parrish was good at keeping it secret and it annoyed Lydia. 

That is until the day came. Parrish sent her to get her hair done, makeup, her wedding dress. Jordan picked out her wedding dress, and bridesmaids dress with the help of Allison, and promised that she would love it. She trusted him. Lydia's hair was done to perfection in the salon but was wrapped up so it wouldn't get messed up with all her running around. 

"I promise you, ma'am, you are going to love the dress your fiancé picked out." The lady in the store said in her very elegant, British accent. She pulled out the dress protected in a plastic cover. Lydia's mouth dropped open just seeing it through the plastic. It was absolutely gorgeous. 

"And here are your accessories. Happy wedding day. Your fiancé is a total sweetheart." Lydia already knew that. But it was nice hearing it because that meant she knew she was lucky. 

Parrish was nervous. 

He wasn't uncertain that he wanted to marry her. 

He knew he wanted to. 

What if she didn't like the decorations?

What if she didn't like the theme?

What if she wasn't certain that she wanted to marry him? 

He heard a knock on the door getting him out of his frantic thoughts. The door opened and Derek peeked in with a huge smile. 

"It's time. You ready?" Parrish nodded because he was. He was ready to marry the girl of his dreams. 

Lydia looked at herself in the mirror with controlled tears in her eyes. She couldn't mess up her make up. 

The dress was so gorgeous. Everything she could have asked for.

The tiara was placed carefully, and firmly, on her styled waves. 

Her makeup was done perfectly simple. 

Lydia was just in shock. Complete shock. 

It's her wedding day. 

She's getting married. 

To Jordan. 

It's still such a surreal feeling with a hint of nerves. She knew she wanted to marry him. They weren't rushed or anything. At least, she didn't think so. It didn't feel like they were rushed. It just seemed perfect. 

A knock on the door got her attention. Her dad popped in and his smile was wide. It made Lydia's pink lips smile as well. 

"You look gorgeous honey. Ready?" Lydia nodded feeling certain. Also she was ready to see how the wedding decorations looked and what the theme was. 

Here we go. 

Lydia's eyes were covered as she was led to the place. 

"Here we are." Her dad whispered in her ear. He took his hand from over her eyes and she opened them. Her mouth dropped for the fifth time that day. Parrish can really outdo his self. 

It was underwater. 

Everything was. 

They were in an underwater building where the fish can be seen swimming around in various sizes, colors, shapes. Beautiful. 

The colors matched the scenery. 

Reminded her of when she lived in the ocean. 

When she used to swim with the fish. 

With Jordan. 

She heard the music play and they started walking to the altar. She saw Jordan there in a suit. 

He looked beautiful. 

A bright smile on his face that matched his eyes. 

Like his light was brought back. 

His eyes were glassy as he stared at her. 

As he took his fiancé in. 

That's her soon-to-be husband. 

And that's his soon-to-be wife. 

The preacher talked but Parrish couldn't really hear him. He was too busy staring in her beautiful eyes. Holding her soft hands. Rubbing circles on the back of them. 

She smiled back at him beautifully. She played with her lips from time to time. A habit Jordan loved. 

And as he began his vows, he remembered everything he loved about her. He cleared his voice before he began reciting his vows. 

"My Ocean Maiden by Jordan Parrish. The fish is what she swims with. No wonder she's a natural. She's naturally beautiful and not just by her long red locks. No. She's too much in tune with nature to just be judged by her looks. She has no care for what the others want like pearls and crafted sea shells. No, of course not. She wants what most people have but never craves. Freedom. You can't base her on someone else. No. She's way too unique and special. She's my beautiful maiden and I'm the one to claim her.

That's the first poem I made when I was eight about what I dreamt about. I dreamt about the ocean. Swimming. I would dream about swimming in the ocean with what they call a mermaid. But I never described her as a mermaid because that was too labeled and basic. I described her as a work or art. A beautiful sea goddess. My dreams. That's much more complicated than a simple title like mermaid. People used to call her Ariel but Ariel wasn't anywhere as passionate or fiery as the one I dreamed about. Ariel didn't capture my heart and swim with it every night. No. Ocean maiden seems more appropriate but not nearly enough. Lydia Martin, I want you know that my dreams for 26 years have been you. You were my first love, and you still are. I promise I will take care of you because you've taken care of me my whole life. I will love you because there was love I felt swimming with you at night. I will do any and every thing you need me to do and I will try my best to make it happen. I love you." How is Lydia supposed to compare to that? Jordan's speech got several awws from the audience. She could see Stiles crying with several tissues while leaning on Derek. Now it was Lydia's turn and she didn't think she deserved this man at all. 

"Jordan Parrish, once again, to take my breath away with your words. I don't know how I'm supposed to compete with your poetic skills but I just want you to know that I love you. I am so grateful that you exist. I'm so stunned by what you do and what you did. You saved me, you loved me, you were there for me. I really don't deserve you because you do so much for me. You gave up something so valuable just so I can walk and I can never forgive myself because you suffered from the loss of it. I will try my best to be the world's greatest wife, lover, mother, whatever you need me to be. Because I love you. I love you so much, Jordan Parrish and I'm looking forward to being Mrs. Parrish." Lydia could feel her tears trailing down her face when Jordan cupped her face to wipe them. He was holding back, she could see it. He mouthed 'I love you too' to her. They heard an obnoxiously loud 'Aww' from Stiles making Lydia smile. Lydia waited anxiously to say I do. The question came from the preacher and Lydia had no hesitation when she said..

"I do." 

Along with Parrish's confident..

"I do." 

He pronounced them husband and wife. 

Finally. 

Their lips attached and it was like they couldn't get enough of each other. They stayed kissing through the cheers and clapping. 

"Alright kiddies! Save some for the honeymoon!" Jordan's cheek blushed as they pulled away remembering the audience they had. Lydia, on the other hand, glared at Stiles. They looked back at each other smiling both thinking the same thing. 

'We're finally married.'

They finally arrived at the honeymoon suite at a hotel in Dubai. The hotel worker put their bags in the room and left after Parrish gave him a tip. 

Lydia wrapped her arms around her husband giving him a flirty smile. 

"So, husband, what are we going to do on this fine afternoon?" Jordan smiled down at her rubbing at her back. 

"Well, we could go to the beach and feed Dolphins. There's a good restaurant down the street." He gave her an innocent look. Lydia bit her lip trailing her hands from his neck to his chest. 

"If that's what you want." She said and turned around walking to the small kitchen area in the other room. She made sure her skirt bounced and her hips swayed. 

She leaned on the small counter when she felt hands on her waist. A pair of lips kissed her neck softly making her eyes flutter shut. 

"I think you know what you were doing there Mrs. Parrish." He lived calling her that. He loved calling her his wife. Reminding them that they're married. 

"I think you knew what I wanted to do Deputy." Jordan knew Lydia. He knew she can be highly seductive when she wants to be. And right now, she really wants to be. 

Lydia turned around and kissed him roughly pulling at the back of his hair. Parrish kissed back with as much passion trailing his hands to her backside. He picked her up placing her on the counter. 

"You wanted to try that restaurant down the street?" He questioned when they pulled away. She rolled her eyes and placed his hands on her thighs. 

"You can try me, my husband." She whispered looking straight in his eyes and hooking her legs around his waist. Jordan's hands gripped tightly at the skin exposed on her thighs. He started rubbing his hands up and down them. 

Yeah. Parrish could definitely get used to his wife. He could definitely get used to hearing my husband come from Lydia Parrish's mouth. 

Parrish looks back at his life again eight years later when he's holding his wife and his child in his arms while they were sleeping. 

Of course Allie Jade Parrish has an obsession mermaids. 

And one day, he's going to tell her the tale of how he wouldn't sleep. 

How he only dreamed.


	2. NOT A CHAPTER

So .... I was thinking maybe I can write one in Lydia's POV. 

How she was when she was little , when she got turned to a mermaid or always was a mermaid. I don't know but that's what I was thinking. 

Maybe it'll happen :D

**Okay so it will happen (: **


	3. Chapter 3

Okay so my phone broke ... 

And I had to get another one but all the stuff I wrote is gone.

Bummer. It's been really crappy lately but it'll get better from now so I just have to wait for my phone to get fixed or start all over.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr ! 
> 
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/stereksmarrish


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